Paul Winchell, voice of Tigger, Gargamel, dead at 82

Monday, June 27, 2005

Paul Winchell, the English voice of Gargamel in the animated children’s show The Smurfs and Tigger in Disney’s Winnie the Pooh died on 23 June at age 82. Winchell also voiced several other characters including Boomer in Disney’s The Fox and the Hound and several characters for Hanna-Barbera productions.

Winchell, in addition to being a prolific voice artist, patented more than 30 inventions including an artificial heart, a flameless cigarette lighter, and a disposable razor.

Paul Winchell won a Grammy Award in 1974 in the Best Recording For Children category for his work on “The Most Wonderful Thing about Tiggers” in the animated Disney film Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too. His first performance as Tigger was in the 1968 Disney film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day which won an Academy Award.